Huggies Summer Baby Book in partnership with SLSA
It’s that time of year again where the sun is out and it’s great to go on trips to the beach with family and friends. To make those days run smoothly and to ensure that they create happy moments and memories, we have partnered with Surf Life Saving Australia for this e-book. We’ve covered everything, from the checklist that ensures you’ll have everything you need on your outing, through to where it is safest for you and your little ones at the beach. As well as that, we have games and craft activities you can do as a family, plus safety information on the kinds of marine life you should definitely avoid swimming with! Keeping your little one’s delicate skin protected from the sun is a number one priority, and so is making sure they are supervised at all times. This e-book covers all you need to know for Summer.
Contents: Sun safety for kids Beach outing checklist Beach games and craft activities for kids Beach safety flags Beach safety signs Things that sting, tropical and non tropical Child supervision at the beach Swimming at the beach
page 2
Sun safety for kids: The Facts: • The sun is at its strongest between 10am and 3 pm. Limit your little one’s exposure during this time. • Choose clothes that screen out harmful UV rays. An easy way to check for this is to place your hand inside the garment and check you can’t see through it. • Protect your little one’s eyes from the glare of the sun by choosing sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection. • Some medications can increase your child’s sensitivity to the sun. It’s worth discussing this with your Pharmacist or Doctor.
Sunscreen: • Babies under the age of 6 months should be kept out of the sun. Sunscreen is not recommended for their skin at this age. • Choose a sunscreen between SPF15+ to 30+ that offers broad spectrum protection. • Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside. • Apply it liberally, making sure to include their ears, behind the neck, hands and backs of knees. • Reapply every 2-3 hours. • If you are going swimming or to the beach, make sure to use a water resistant sunscreen.
Sunburn: If your little one does end up getting sunburned, some simple strategies to minimise their discomfort are: • • • •
Get them to take a cool bath. Apply after sun gel containing Aloe Vera. This will help mimise long term damage. Keep them hydrated as they can lose lots of fluid from sunburn. Keep them out of the sun until their burn is healed.
It is important to form good habits early on, and make sure that applying sunscreen to your little one is as regular as brushing their teeth every day.
page 3
Beach Outing Checklist: Make your outing to the beach a relaxed and hassle free event. Our trusty checklist will make it an enjoyable occasion. Remember to avoid the beach between 10am and 3pm when the sun is at its harshest.
Clothing: • • • • • • • • • •
Huggies Little Swimmers Rashie Hat (broad brimmed for complete protection) Sunglasses Sandals Change of clothes Nappies Baby Wipes Beach towels Two plastic bags (one for nappies and one for wet clothing)
Food and drink: • • • • •
An esky Ice cooler to keep food fresh Crackers Water bottles Snack food of choice
Sun protection: • Sunscreen • Beach umbrella or cabana
Toys: • Bucket and spade • Ball
Other: • Camera • Stingose cream • Lightweight comfortable chair
page 4
Beach games and craft activities for kids: It’s great to take your little ones out to the beach and this is a wonderful time to occupy them with some vigorous exercise, or to show them how to explore their surroundings. These activities are low on equipment required and high on the fun factor. Here are 10 terrific games and activities that you can carry out with the kids.
Beach in a bottle: Equipment: 1. Clear plastic jar Instructions: • Fill halfway with sand. • Walk with your little one along the beach and collect things to place in the jar including shells, seaweed and anything else they discover. • When you are leaving you can either gently place the contents back on the sand or place a lid on the jar and take it home as a memento of your special outing.
Sandcastles: Equipment: 1. Bucket 2. Spade 3. Shells and seaweed Instructions: • You can work with your child to build anything from the tallest castle to one with the best moat! • Use the bucket to fill the moat with water in order to prevent the sandcastle from collapsing too easily. • Encourage your little one to be creative and help them decorate their creation with nearby shells and seaweed.
Sand sculptures: Equipment: 1. Bucket 2. Icy pole sticks Instructions: • Help your little one fill the bucket with sand. • Add one or two cups of seawater to make sure it is damp. • Make sure the sand is compacted as much as possible in the bucket before turning over. • Then gently, using your icy pole sticks, start to carve shapes of your little one’s choice into the sand. This could be anything from a dolphin to a mermaid.
page 5
Beach volleyball: Equipment: 1. A small net 2. Beach ball or a volleyball Instructions: • Children are to throw the ball over the net with the aim being not to drop the ball. • Encourage them to chase the ball if they miss it. • Award “shells” as a reward when they catch it.
Fill the bucket relay: Equipment: 1. Two small buckets Instructions: • Spilt the group into two teams. • Line everyone up near the shore making sure there is an adult closely supervising the children at all times. • Place the bucket about 5 metres away from the shore. • Each person has to take it in turns getting a handful of water from the ocean and carrying it to the bucket. • This carries on until the bucket is filled!
Sand darts: Equipment: 1. Sand 2. Shells Instructions: • Draw one large circle and then several smaller circles inside it. • Get your little one to stand a metre or two away and toss the shell inside the “dart board”. • The aim is to get the shell into the smallest and most centre circle of the board.
page 6
Beach ball balancing: Equipment: 1. Two large beach balls Instructions: • Divide your group into teams. • Draw two lines about 10 metres apart and divide the groups on either side. • The aim is for one person on each team to carry the beach ball without using their hands to the person on the other side of the line in the sand. • The winner is the team that manages to complete the task without using their hands. • Encourage your little one to crab walk or to try balancing the ball on their head. It doesn’t matter if they drop it.
Treasure hunt: Equipment: 1. Pen and paper Instructions: • Draw up a list of ‘treasures’ for your little one to find. • This can include a certain type of shell, seaweed, cuttle fish and a coin. • Encourage them to search for these treasures within a close radius to you at all times. • Tick them off the list as they find the treasures.
Picture making: Equipment: 1. Anything from the beach Instructions: • Collect a minimum of twenty objects from the beach including shells, pebbles, seaweed and rocks. • Work with your little one to create an outline of the human body in the sand and decorate it using the objects they have found.
Beach bowling: Equipment: 1. Plastic bowls Instructions: • Line up the bowls in a small triangle. • Get your child to slide a ball along the sand with the aim of knocking down the triangle. • The child who knocks down all the bowls will be the winner.
page 7
Beach safety: To make sure your day at the beach is a safe one, our e-book partners SLSA have provided this very useful information. Make sure when you are at the beach that you do only swim between the flags.
Beach Safety Flags Find out about the beach and conditions. Why are beach safety flags important to you? Every beach has permanent and occasional hazards that you may need to look out for. To assist you in looking out for these hazards and to show supervised areas, lifesaving services use a number of safety flags. What do the beach safety flags look like and what do they mean?
Red and yellow flags The red and yellow flags show the supervised area of the beach and that a lifesaving service is operating. No red and yellow flags indicates there is no supervision. NO FLAGS = NO SWIM
Red flag Indicates that the beach is closed and that you should not enter the water.
Black and white quartered flag Indicates the area where board riding and surfing is not permitted.
Yellow flag Indicates that there are potential hazards in the water. Look out for the yellow warning sign that should be displayed with the yellow flag for further advice.
Red and white quartered flag Emergency evacuation, leave the water immediately.
page 8
Beach Safety Signs Find out about the beach and conditions. What beach signs should you be looking out for? Warning Signs (Diamond shape, yellow and black) are used to warn you about a hazard(s) at that beach
Regulatory Signs (Red circle with diagonal line through a black image) are used to inform you about prohibited activities at that beach
Information Signs (Square, blue and white) are used to provide you information about features at that beach
Safety Signs (Square, green and white) are used to indicate a safety provision nearby or provide safety advice
If you are unsure about something or have a question, don’t hesitate to ask a lifesaver or lifeguard.
page 9
Things that sting: Nothing can spoil a day at the beach as quickly as a sting. This information covers Tropical and Non Tropical Marine Safety. Simply use the map provided to work out which category your beach falls under.
Things that sting #1 Tropical Marine Stinger Safety Why is tropical marine stinger safety important to you? The beaches and oceans of tropical Queensland (north of Bundaberg), tropical Western Australia (north of Geraldton) and the Northern Territory are an important part of the natural attraction of these regions. They are home to many interesting animals, including some harmful jellyfish collectively known as marine stingers. These marine stingers are easy to avoid but some of the tropical species can cause life threatening injuries.
Circulation area of tropical marine stingers in Australia How can you best protect yourself against tropical marine stingers? Some simple rules for safe swimming apply to help reduce the risk of incidents involving marine stingers: • • • • • • •
Always swim at patrolled beaches, between the red and yellow flags. Look for and obey safety signs. Don’t enter the water when beaches are closed. Ask a lifesaver or lifeguard for help and advice if you need it. Don’t touch marine stingers washed up on the beach, they can still sting you. Swim in the stinger nets where provided. It is recommended that a full-body lycra suit, or equivalent, be worn to provide a good measure of protection against marine stings, particularly during the stinger season, which generally runs from November to March. • Enter the water slowly — this gives marine stingers time to move away.
STINGERS (UNDERWATER)
page 10
What are tropical marine stingers and what do they look like? Tropical marine stingers, such as the Irukandji and the Box Jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri) are classed as dangerous and caution must be exercised when entering tropical waters during the ‘Marine Stinger season’, which generally runs from November to March.
above: Box Jellyfish
above: Irukandji
What should be done if you get a tropical marine sting? If you are stung, or are with someone else who has been stung, the treatment will vary depending on your location and what type of stinger is involved. In areas where dangerous tropical jellyfish are found and the species causing the sting cannot be clearly identified, it is safer to treat the victim with vinegar. The treatment is as follows: • Remove the patient from the water and restrain if necessary. • Call for help (dial 000 or get a surf lifesaver or lifeguard to help you). Assess the patient and commence CPR if necessary. Liberally douse the stung area with vinegar to neutralise invisible stinging cells — do not wash with fresh water. • If vinegar is unavailable, pick off any remnants of the tentacles (preferably with gloves) and rinse sting well with seawater (not freshwater). • Seek medical assistance and transport to the hospital immediately. For more information, go to www.marinestingers.com.au/safety
page 11
Things that sting #2 Non-tropical Marine Stinger Safety. Why is non-tropical marine stinger safety important to you? Australia’s waters are home to many interesting sea creatures, including jellyfish collectively known as marine stingers. Although they are generally quite easy to avoid, stingers can cause discomfort if you are stung. The intensity and severity of the sting from a marine stinger varies with geographical location and the health and fitness of the victim.
Circulation area of marine stingers in Australia How can you best protect yourself against non-tropical marine stingers? Some simple rules for safe swimming apply to help reduce the risk of incidents involving marine stingers: • • • • • • •
Always swim at patrolled beaches, between the red and yellow flags. Look for and obey safety signs. Don’t enter the water when beaches are closed. Ask a lifesaver or lifeguard for help and advice if you need it. Don’t touch marine stingers washed up on the beach, they can still sting you. Swim in the stinger nets where provided. It is recommended that a full-body lycra suit, or equivalent, be worn to provide a good measure of protection against marine stings, particularly during the stinger season, which generally runs from November to March. • Enter the water slowly — this gives marine stingers time to move away. What are non-tropical marine stingers and what do they look like? Non-tropical marine stingers, such as the bluebottle (physalia) or hair jelly (cyanea), may be found anywhere on the Australian coastline but usually south of tropical Queensland (south of Bundaberg) and south of tropical Western Australia (south of Geraldton). Their stingers, while not generally life threatening, can cause distress and discomfort when come into contact with.
Bluebottle (physalia)
Hair jelly (cyanea)
page 12
What should be done if you get a non-tropical marine sting? If you are stung, or are with someone else who has been stung, the treatment will vary depending on your location and what type of stinger is involved. In non-tropical waters, the treatment is as follows: For Bluebottle stings • Keep the patient at rest and under constant observation. • Do not allow rubbing of the sting area. • Pick off any remaining tentacles with fingers (a harmless prickling may be felt). • Rinse the stung area well with seawater to remove any invisible stinging cells. • Place the patient’s stung area in hot water (no hotter than the rescuer can comfortably tolerate). • If the pain is unrelieved by the heat, or if hot water is not available, apply cold packs or wrapped ice. For other non-tropical minor jellyfish stings • Keep the patient at rest and under constant observation. • Do not allow rubbing of the sting area. • Pick off any remaining tentacles with fingers (a harmless prickling may be felt). • Rinse the stung area well with seawater to remove any invisible stinging cells. • Do not wash the sting with fresh water. Apply cold packs or wrapped ice for pain. • If local pain is unrelieved by these treatments, or generalised pain develops, or the sting area is large (half of a limb or more), or if the patient appears to be suffering an allergic reaction to the sting, seek urgent medical help (dial Triple Zero (000) and get a surf lifesaver or lifeguard).
page 13
Keep an eye on the kids Supervision and lost children. Why is child supervision important to you? While lifeguards and lifesavers are there to watch over you and your children when in the water, children require constant attention and parent/adult supervision when visiting the beach or around any body of water. A lack of direct adult supervision regularly results in lost children or in the worst cases child drowning deaths. What is the best form of supervision? Supervision of children is vital and the best form of supervision at the beach is to actively interact with your children. This means that children should always be within arm’s reach and observing them should be your constant focus when around the water. How can you best supervise children when at the beach? Children should always be accompanied and supervised by an adult at arm’s reach at all times when visiting the beach. Bright lycra style swimming suits and rash shirts make good sun sense and are easy to see. Identify an easy to find point on the beach that the child can go to if you become separated (e.g. the lifeguard tower). Active supervision is the best form of supervision, and it’s fun! What should you do if you lose your child? 1. Do not panic, hundreds of children are reported lost every year, usually they are found walking along the beach. 2. Quickly check the immediate area then notify the lifesavers/lifeguards on duty. 3. If no lifesavers/lifeguards are on duty then the police can be contacted. The lifesavers/lifeguards will require information from you, such as: • A description (i.e. age, clothing, name, hair colour) • The time the child was last seen (this helps determine how far the child may have gone) • Any medical problems the child may have Most children are usually found very quickly. However, sometimes a wider search is needed, this may include: • The car • The home/unit • Surrounding parklands/playgrounds • A further expanse of the beach (children have been known to walk some distance) Stay calm and assist the lifesavers and lifeguards or Police as requested, they will be doing everything they can to help you.
page 14
Swimming at the beach Ensuring your child is safe at the beach is vital, which is why you should only swim between the flags. Check with the lifeguard on duty if it is suitable to take your child in the water. If you do so, these are guidelines that may help: • • • •
Always swim between the red and yellow flags, because if we can’t see you, we can’t save you. Do not leave your child unattended and they must never swim alone. Your child shouldn’t enter the water for at least one hour after they have eaten. If the area is rocky or surface is rough your child should wear protective footwear to avoid cutting their feet. • Face the waves so you can see them at all times. • Avoid going too deep in the water with your child in case you get into difficulty. Huggies encourages parents to get their children to participate in the SLSA Nippers programme when they are old enough. Nippers is about learning, confidence and having fun in a safe beach environment. For Nippers, the beach is the classroom. They gain confidence by passing the ‘tests’ of swimming, body boarding, beach sprints, dolphin-diving, spotting a rip, having fun with new friends and discovering things about themselves. The skills gained in Nippers will stick to the soul like sand from the beach and be carried for life. Of the movement’s 153,000 members, over 58,500 are Nippers (5-13 years). This equates to nearly 40% of their total membership and shows just how significant the junior movement is within surf lifesaving. The Nippers of today are the future of surf lifesaving tomorrow. Find out how your child can become a Nipper.
page 15
We hope you have enjoyed our Huggies Summer Baby Book produced in partnership with SLSA. You can visit our eBook library at www.huggies.com.au at anytime for many more free pregnancy, baby and parenting eBooks.
in partnership with SLSA
page 16